Oil saver



Nov. 27, 1934. A. G. HEGGEM OIL SAVER Filed Feb. 27.. 14931 2 Sheets-Sheet l @ATTORNEYS Nov. 27, 1934. A; HEGGEM 1,982,252

OIL SAVER Filed Feb. 27. 1931' 2 sheets-sheet 2 mgmunmmuuumlm Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STAT Es PATENT OFFICE 17 Claims.

My invention relates to oil savers which are employed in oil well drilling to prevent the escape or waste of oil over the top of the well. Devices of this character are employed in the drilling of oil wells not only because they effect economy by saving oil, but also because they materially reduce the fire hazard and thus minimize the liability of losing a drilling well by burning.

The principal object of the invention is to produce an oil saver of the hollow polished rod or tubular barrel type with effective means `for clamping the rod to the drilling line and for packing against the drilling line to prevent waste of oil when withdrawing the drilling tools from the well or vwhen withdrawing oil from the well by swabbing. Another object of the invention is to provide means for supporting the oil saver in such manner that the saver may accommodate itself to the alinement of the drilling line. A further object of the invention is to provide simple and easily operated means for preventing loss of oil when the packing meansnormally cooperating with the hollow polished rod are required to be removed or renewed. A still further object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means for rigidly connecting the hollow polished rod to means by which it may be firmly connected to the drilling line so as toI partake of the movements of the latter. 4

A principal feature of the invention consists, generally stated, in constructing an oil saver with a stung box to which is secured a downwardly extending hollow polished rod, the stuii'ing box and polished rod being adapted to receive a drilling line, packing means being disposed with- -in the stung box for packing the drilling line, means including said packing'means being provided for clamping the stuffing box to the line, the polished rod being packed exteriorly by a stuing box through which it extends and with respect to which it is adapted to reciprocate.

A further feature of the invention consists in combining in an oil saver a stuffing box, a hollow polished rod secured thereto and extending downwardly therefrom, said stumng box and rod being adapte-d to receive a drilling line, means for securing the stuffing box to the drilling line so that it may move with said line, a stufng box through which the polished rod extends and with respect to which it is adapted to reciprocate, and means for supporting the last-named stuiiing box to permit it to shift its position laterally to conform.to the alinement of the drilling line, the last-named stuffing box beingprovided with packing means for packing the polished rod.

Other features of the invention residing in advantageous details of construction and particular combinations of parts will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

(Cl. 16e-i4) In the' drawings illustrating a preferred form of the invention,-

Figure l is a longitudinal section of `an oil saver embodying the invention, showing its application to the casing head of a well and its relation to a drilling line or cable.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the oil saver and associated devices illustrated in Figure 1, the view being taken at right angles to that of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional View on the line 3 3, Figure 2, showing the upper stuffing box in plan.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4 4, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on Figure l.

Figure 6 is a detail'horizontal section on the line 6 6, Figure l.

Figure 7 is a detail vertical sectional View illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Figure 8 is a detail vertical sectional view illustrating another modified form of the invention.

In the drawings, 1 indicates va reciprocating drilling line with which the oil saver is associated, while 2 indicates the casing head of a well upon which the saver is mounted. The drilling line is usually a wire cable and the casing head may be of any suitable form.

At its upper end the oil saver is provided with a stuffing box 3 through which the drilling line l extends. The chamber of this stuffing box receives packing members 4 which are preferably of rubber and are disposed on opposite sides of the drilling line 1 so as to be movable toward each other transversely of the drilling line into packing contact with the latter. To permit them readily to conform to the inequalities of surface of a wire drilling line 1, the packing rubbers 4 are preferably recessed or slotted, as indicatedat 5, to provide spaces into which the rubber may yield or expand as may be required to maintain eiicient packing contact withthe line. The packing rubbers 4, each of which is curved on its inner face for contact with the drilling line, are forced into packing' engagement with the line 1 by means of followers 6 disposed within the stuffing box. Adjusting screws '7, which have threaded engagement with the stufling box 3 and respectively bear at their inner ends against the followers 6, serve to force the packing followers against the packing rubbers 4 and thus press the latter firmly against the drilling line 1. The inner face 8 of each of the followers 6 is preferably of convex form, being curved longitudinally of the stufng box. By this means the center portions of the packing rubbers 4 are first compressed against the drilling line 1, leaving the ends of the packing members free to move more readily in conformity to movements of the line. This results in an easier and more the line 5 5,

durable packing. When, however, it is desired to clamp the stuing box 3 to the drilling line so as to cause the box and the hollow polished rod 9 connected thereto to partake of the reciprocating movements of the line, the follower adjusting screws 7 are advanced further and thereupon the wedging action of the rubber packing members 4, as they seize around the drilling line, is sufficient to lock the stufling box and the drilling line together. In actual practice it has been found that the convex followers cause the packing members 4 to grip the drilling line with suicient -flrmness to support the weight of the entire string of tools carried by the line. Theupper end of the .stufting box 3 is formed with a cover or gland 10 throughA which the drilling line 1 passes. The gland may advantageously be secured to the body of the stufiing box by means of bolts 11.

The hollow polished rod or tube 9 through which the drilling line passes isvrigidly secured to the stumng box 3 and extends downwardly therefrom. To securely attach'the hollow rod 9 to'the stumng box 3 the latter; is provided with a downwardly projecting nipple 12, the upper portion of which is interiorly threaded, as indicated at 13 for engaging the correspondingly threaded upper end of the polished rod. Below the threaded portion the nipple 12 is bored true to the outside diameter of the hollow polished rod and is split or slotted radially, as indicated at 14, to form a clamp having perforated lugs 15 through which a bolt 16 extends. By tightening the clamp bolt 16 the stumng box 3 may be securely clamped to the hollow polished rod below the threaded connection of the latter with'the box. By thus clamping the polished rod to the stuffing boxl 3 danger of the rod unscrewing and becoming separated from the box is overcome and bending -stresses are transferred from the roots of the threads down to a point where the hollow polished rod 9 is of maximum diameter.

Below the upper stumng box 3 the polished rod 9 extends through a stuing box 17 which is movably supported by the casing head 2. The stuing box 17 is provided with means for packing against the exterior of the polished rod. For this purpose it is preferred to employ top and bottom split rubber rings 18 and 19 respectively between which are intermediate rings 20 of plastic metallic packing. The commercial form of plastic metallic packing consisting of fibers of lead or lead composition twisted into a rope, generally impregnated with graphite or wax or hard oil and encased in woven asbestos may be used if desired. The packing in the chamber of the stuffing box 17 is compressed into packing contact with the exterior of the tubular polished rod 9 by means of oppositely disposed followers 21 each of which is adapted to be actuated by a corresponding adjusting screw 22 mounted on and having threaded engagement with the stung box 17. vThe followers 21 are of substantially the same general character as the followers 6 employed in the upper stuffing boxr3, except that their inner faces are not bowed or convexly curved in the direction of length of the polished rod. The packing elements 18, 19'and 20 and the followers 21 are inserted through the top opening in the stuffing box 17, said opening being closed by a gland 23 having'threaded connectionl with the body of the box. The opening through the gland 23 for receiving the hollow polished rod 9 is preferably'of somewhat greater diameter than the rod, thus permitting an anti-friction sleeve 24 forming a guide for the polished rod to beinterposed between the yrod and the gland 23. Zhe sleeve 24 is held in place and may be somewhat compressed chamber -thereof is preferably provided with a bronze liner 25' of tubular form which encircles the hollow rod 9. A radial passage 26 communicating with an alemite-or other suitable fitting 27 serves to permit lubricant to be introduced ybetween the liner 25 and the tubular polished rod 9.

Below the stuing box 17 and rigidly connected thereto is an auxiliary stufling box 2 8 through which the hollow polished rod 9 extends, the upper end of the box being threaded to receive the correspondingly threaded lower end portion 29 of the stuffing box 17. Within the packing chamber of the auxiliary stuffing box 28 is a follower ring 30 between which and the lower end of the stufng box 17 suitable packing means are interposed, said packing means preferably comprising upper and lower split rubber rings 31 and intermediate packing rings 32 of like character to the intermediate rings 20 within the stuffing box 17. To cooperate with the packing means within the auxiliary stuffing box 28 the hollow polished rod 9 is provided at its lower end with an exterior. shoulder preferably inthe form of a ferrule 33 which upon upward movement of the rod with respect to the auxiliary stuffing box 28 is adapted to enter the opening 34 in the bottom of the latter and come into engagement with the follower ring 30 upon which the packing members 31 and 32 are superposed. l The packing within the auxiliary stuffing box 28 is normally free from pressure and so does not rub or wear against the polished rod 9; but when it is desired to repack the intermediate stufng box 17 the polished rod may be raised so that the ferrule 33`at the lower end of the rod engages the follower 30 and forces the packing rings 31 and 32 into tight contact with the rod. This permits the packing chamber in the stuffing box 17 to be opened and-the pack- 1 inv withdrawing the tools from the well or in a swabbing operation.

insuring that the The stuing box 17 as well as the auxiliary.

stufling box 28, if the latter be employed, is preferably movably mounted on the casing head so as to enable 'it to accommodate itself to variations in the alinement of the drilling line. This is very advantageous because, due to various causes, the alinement of the drilling line is very rarely concentric with the well casing.

^ The preferred means for movably supporting the oil saver so that it is permitted to shift laterally and angularly from its normal central vertical position comprises a base member 35 of ring like form which is supported by the casing head 2 and is adapted to be detachably secured to the latter by means of radial set screws 36 and by anchor clamps 37 secured by anchor bolts 38, although either of these securing means may be used alone or other means 'suitable for the purpose may be employed if desired. Screwed into the under side of the base ring 35 is an annular base bushing 39 between which and the base member 35 a flexible diaphragm 40 is interposed. This diaphragm may advantageously be of rubber, canvas, a combination of rubber and `canvas, leather or metal, or a combination of metal'and rubber or duck, and it forms a iiexible or movable connection between the stuffing box `17 and the supporting base 35 permitting the alinement of the hollow polished rod within the well casing by either lateral or angular movement. The flexible diaphragm 40 is apertured at the center to receive the lower end 29 of the stuffing box 17 which latter is formed with a downwardly facing shoulder 41I which overlies the inner margin of the diaphragm, the diaphragm being clamped to the stulhng box device 17 between the shoulder 4l and the upper end of the auxiliary stuffing box 28. By this means the cil saver is movably mounted upon the base, but

escape of oil and gas between the stuffing box and the supporting' base 35 is prevented. To prevent the stuffing box 17 from passing through the base 35 in the event the diaphragm 40 should `fail for any cause, said stufling box is provided with shou1ders42which extend over the upper surface of the base member 35. To prevent the oil saver from passing upwardly through the base or being blown out by pressure in the well in the event of failure of the diaphragm 40, the auxiliary stuhng box 28 is shouldered, as at 43 for cooperating with the base bushing 39 to limit upward movement of the oil saver, the shoulder 43 of the auxiliary stuffing box and the coacting shoulder 44 of the base bushing being of corresponding form so as to cooperate and act like a valve preventing leakage through an impaired diaphragm whenever the internal pressure of the weil is great enough to force the seats 43 and' i4 into contact.

ln the modified form of construction shown in .Figure 7 the flexible diaphragm 45 is mounted with capability of sliding laterally between the base member 46 and the base bushing 47. This form of diaphragm is preferably faced with thin sheets of metal and, as shown, may advantageously be thickened somewhat at its periphery. Other features of construction of the modified form of invention shown in Figure 7 being like those heretofore described have been indicated by corresponding reference numerals.

the construction shown in Figure 8 the diaphragm 48 is formed as a exible tubular member which is clamped at its lower end between a supporting base member 49 and an annular bushing 5c screwed downwardly into the latter, its upper end being clamped between the stuffing box i7 and the upper end of the auxiliary stuffing box 5l. By this means internal well pressures cause the flexible tube 48 to be placed in tension. The tube itself may be of rubber hosereinforced with'coil springwire or of other suitable construction. The other features of construction illustrated in Figure 8 are the same or substantiaily the same as those heretofore described and corresponding parts have, therefore, been identifled by similar reference characters.

l. An oil saver involving a stuiiing box, a hollow polished rod secured to and extending downwardly from said stuffing box, said stuffing box and polished rod being adapted to receive a. drilling line, flexible packing means within said stuffing box for packing said drilling line, means including said packing means for clamping said stufling box to said line, andy stulling box means slidably mounted on said polished rod.

2. An oil saver involving a hollow polished rod adapted to receive a drilling line, means forV securing said polished rod to the drilling line, a stuffing box through which said polished rod extends and with respect to-whichit is adapted to reciprocate, yielding packing means within said last-named stuiling box for packing said polished rod, an annular flexible diaphragm for supporting said last-named stuffing box to permit lateral movement thereof from normal position, and means removably mounted on the lower end of said last-named stufling box for securing said diaphragm to the latter.

3. An oil saver involving a hollow polished rod adapted to receive a drilling line, means for securing said rod to the line to enable it to move with said line, a stufling box through'which said polished rod extends and with respect to which it is adapted to reciprocate, yielding means carried by said stuffing box for packing said polished rod, an annular flexible diaphragm for supporting said stufling box to permit lateral displacement thereof from'normal position, and means for limiting upward movement of said polished rod with respect to said stuffing box.

4. An oil saver involving a hollow polished rod adapted to receive a ,drilling line, means for securing said rod to the drilling line to enable it to move with the line, a stuing box through which said polished rod extends, packing means within said stuffing box for packing the polished rod, means for supporting said stuing box 'to permit the latter to move in conformity with variations inthe alinement of the drilling line, said last-named means comprising a plurality of members including a flexible member secured to said stuffing box adjacent the lower end thereof, and means for limiting upward movement of said polished rod with respect to said stuffing box.

5. An oil saver involving a stuffing box having` an opening therethroughpermitting the passage of a drilling line, a hollow polished rod secured to and extending downwardly from said stumng box and adapted to receive the drilling line, yielding means within said stuiling box for engaging said drilling line, follower means movable radially with respect to said stuffing box opening and provided with a convex surface engaging said yielding means, means for causing said follower means to press said yielding means against the drilling line to clamp said stumng box thereto, andstufiing box means slidably mounted on said polished rod.

6. An oil saver involving a stuffing box having an opening for receiving a drilling line, a hollow polished rod secured to and extending downwardly from said stufling box and adapted to receive the drilling line, a plurality of yieldingv vided with a slotted clamp portion having an interiorly threaded opening, a hollow polished rod extending into said opening and having threaded connection with the interior threads of said clamp portion, means cooperating with said clamp portion to'force the latter to grip the polished rod,`

polished rod, an auxiliary stuffing box disposed above said shoulder forming means and through which said polished rod extends, and packing means carried by said auxiliary stuffing box for cooperating with said polished rod, said exterior shoulder being adapted to cooperate with said last-named packing means to force the latter into packing contact with said'polished rod.

9. An oil saver involving a hollow polished rod,

a stuillng box through which said polished rod v extends, packing. means carried Iby said stufllng box for cooperating with said polished rod, an auxiliary stumng box secured to the stuillng box first-named and through which said polished rod extends, packing means carried by saidauxiliary stuiling box for cooperating with said polished rod, and means carried by said polished rod for forcing the packing means carried by said auxiliary stuihng box into packing contactlwith said polished rod.

10. An oil saver involving a polished. rod adapted to receive a drilling line, means for se- 'curing' said polished rod to the drilling lineto permit it to move with said line, an auxiliary stumng box through which said polishedrod extends, a stufling box disposed above the auxiliary stufiing box and through which said polished rod extends, said auxiliarystufting box' being secured to said upper stuiling box, packing means carried by said upper stufllng box for cooperating with said polished rod, means cooperating with said last-named packing means to force .the latter into packing contact with saidpolished rod, packing means carried by said auxiliary stuffing box for vcooperating with said polished rod, and means for forcing the packing carried by said auxiliary stuffing box into packing contact with said polished rod.

11. An oil saver-involving a hollow polished rod adapted to receive a drilling line, fmeans for securing said polished rod to the drilling line to enable itto move with the line, a 'stufiing box through which said polished rod extends, packing f means within said stuffing box for packing .the polished rod, packing followers movable transversely of said rod for forcing said packing means into contact with the rod, a gland connected to said stufllng box and encircling the rod above said packing means, anti-friction means within said gland encircling and engaging said polished rod, and a bushing encircling said polished rod and adjustably connected to said stufling box for cooperating: with said anti-.friction means.

12. An oil saver involvinga hollow polished. rod adapted to receive a drilling line, yielding means for securing said rod to theline toi enable it to move withtheline, a stuillng box through which said polished rod extends, yieldingA means carried by said stuilling box for packing said polished rod, and an annular flexible diaphragm for supl for supporting said stuffing box'device to enablev it to move in conformityv with variations in the alinement of the drilling line, said stuffing box device and said supporting means being provided with portions adapted to engage upon an upward movement of the stuffing box device with respectto said supporting 'means to limit upward movement of said device with respect to the supporting means.

- 14. An oil saver involving a hollow polished rod adapted to receive a drilling line; a stuillng box device through which-said polished rod extends and with respect to which it is adapted to re' ciprocate, and means for movably supporting said stufiing box device, said stumng box device and said supporting means being provided with normally separated seats adapted to cooperate with each other upon an upward movement of the stufling box device to prevent fluid from passing upwardly between said stumng box device and said supporting means.

15. An oil saver involving a hollow polished rod, a stufling box through which` said polished rod extends, packing means carried by said stuffing box for cooperating with said polished rod, an'

drilling line, yieldable packing means within said stuiling box, means movable radially of said stuffing box for`forcing said packing means against the drilling line, a stuiling box device disposed below the first-named stufng box and vthrough which said polished rod extends and with respect to which said rod is movable in the direction of its length, and means carried by said polished rod for cooperating with said stuffing box device to limit upward movement with respect thereto of said rod and said first-named stuillng box.

head and packing around a polished rod comprising in combination a ring secured to the casing head, an annular flexible diaphragm secured to the lumen of said ring, and an annular body secured to the lumen of said diaphragm all said elements being secured in oil tight relationship, means on said body, adapted, upon any considerable displacement of said body, to contact said ring and thereby limit the stress upon and strain of said diaphragm' and packing means in the lumen of said body to pack the polish rod in oil` tight sliding relationship to said body.

' ALFRED G. HEGGEM..

17. An oil lsaver detachably secured to a casing l and'polished rod being adapted to receive a 

